2008 Subaru Impreza WRX: Test Drive (with Video)

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Oct 30, 2009

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Subarus have never sold on style. Loyalists of the brand aren't the types to swoon over swoopy sheetmetal. Instead, these folks appreciate Subarus for their mechanical engineering. In other words, they're our kind of people.

The turbocharged Impreza WRX and the even more high-strung STi model supplied much of the muscle for the sport compact car craze. In many ways, the WRX was the poster child for this new generation of hot rodders. But Subaru had to expand the appeal of these great sedans. So the all-new Impreza has more mainstream sheetmetal and a more refined, if less hardcore, chassis. [Check out first-look video here; review continues below...]

The Impreza is still available in both 4-door sedan and 5-door wagon configurations, but it rides on a longer wheelbase and has a new rear suspension system. Surprisingly, it's also lighter than the outgoing model. The base-level, 170-hp, 2.5-liter H4 engine has been tuned for more low-range torque. And that results in a car that's far more pleasant to scurry through traffic. Subaru offers VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) for the first time in the Impreza lineup, and it's standard.

The performance WRX model, which starts at around $25,000, packs the same basic engine as before and is tuned to deliver 224 hp with a nice, flat torque curve. It's instantly recognizable by dint of the aero kit and wing. The stiff ride and aggressive handling of the WRX has been scaled back from previous versions. We drove one up to Mount Palomar in San Diego County, and even with most of the rough edges filed off, this is still very much a driver's car. We can't wait until the WRX STi rolls out in about six months. —Mike Allen